Table top football game



March 2-6, 1968 J w, MEYER 3,375,007

TABLE TOP-FOOTBALL GAME Filed April 27, 1966 2 Sheets-Shei 1 INVENTOR' JoSEP/Y 14/, M5 YER March261968 I MEYER 3, 75,007

' TABLE TOP FOOTBALL GAME Filed April 27, 1966 2 Sheets-Shet 2 or oz l ll III! In IIIII mmmmsinniazziiam INVENTOR.

we 477mm 129:2- Y Jam/1 MEYER 1% it I I Q v United States Patent Filed Apr. 27, 1966, Ser. No. 545,741 7 Claims. (Cl. 273-94) My invention relates to a new and novel game and, more particularly, to a table top game of football.

The principal object of my new game is the arrangement of parts whereby a realistic offense and defense can be reproduced fully and skillfully, simulating all of the action of an actual game of football.

Another object of the game is to provide a device wherein one player representing the defensive team may select a plurality of different defensive combinations with the same remaining undisclosed to the other player who represents the offensive team, until the latter has selected his offensive play. After each player has made his defensive and offensive choice, I provide a means capable of visually illustrating, by coordinated indicators the results of the chosen play and defensive arrangements.

Other objects Will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of my game;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of my game in playing condition;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of a portion of the game cabinet;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken on line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view of the defensive players shield;

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of the game cabinet with a portion thereof broken away;

FIGS. 7 and 8 disclose different types of offensive play cards as used in the game; and

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary plan view of one of said defensive coordinates employed in the game, to enlarged scale.

The game consists of a hollow, substantially rectangularly shaped cabinet 10 having a portion of the top wall 11 schematically showing a football field 12. The offensive players side wall 13 of the cabinet 10 is provided with a plurality of visible basic defensive arrangements 14. Adjacent one end wall 15 of the cabinet 10 and formed in the top wall 11 thereof are a plurality of rotatable score drum indicators 16. Adjacent to the opposite end wall 15' of the cabinet 10 and formed in the top wall 11 is an elongated cut-out providing an offensive play card receiving area 17. Along each side edge of the play card receiving area 17 there are provided yardage indicator strips 18.

Positioned within the hollow confines of the cabinet 10 and rotatably supported by a shaft 19 journalled in opposite side walls of the cabinet are a plurality of predesigned defensive coordinates 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6 these defensive coordiates are in the form of pentagons, with each of the five sides thereof providing a portion of the defensive playing field. Each flat side of each of these defensive pentagons illustrates a portion of the schematic football field 12, and when each of these fiat sides of each pentagon is rotated into coplanar alignment, they present a play action field. As shown in FIG. 3, the pentagon 20 is divided into ten equal portions, and as indicated by the yardage strips 18 on either side of the card receiving areas 17, they represent a scrimmage line S and five yards to either side thereof.

The pentagons 20 through 23 each are divided so as to indicate additional five yards of playing field 12, and the last defensive pentagon 23 is divided into seven yards of the playing field. Each of these defensive pentagons is provided with circular indicia 24' which represent the deployment of defensive players which can be selected into a combination of defensive patterns. The pentagon also indicate, by dotted or full lines, as well as any appropriate colors, a plurality of offensive play paths. A further explanation of the symbols on the defensive pentagons will be made during the explanation of the playing of the game.

Removably positioned on the top wall 11 of the cabinet 10 is the defensive players shield 25. This shield 25 is generally triangular in shape, and is not only hollow, as shown in FIG. 5, but devoid of a bottom and rear wall, so that when the defensive player places his shield on the cabinet 10 over the offensive play card receiving area 17, it will obstruct the offensive players view of the defensive pentagons while permitting the defensive player to see, and to have access to the pentagons, so that they may be manually rotated one to another in either direction into any defensive combination of his choice.

The offensive player is provided with a plurality of play cards such as are shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. These play cards comprise a transparent elongated plastic body 26. One edge adjacent one end of each of the play cards is colored either red or black, such as is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 respectively.

The game is complete with general rules of play covering all possible offensive and defensive situations that can originate in an authentic game of football. All defensive plays and alignments as well as penalties and fumbles are illustrated on and can be achieved through the arrangements of the defensive pentagons 20 through 24, while all offensive plays such as kick-offs, punts, field goals, point after touchdown, passes, and runs are contained on the play cards at the disposal of the offensive player.

On the colored edge portions of the play cards, appears a plurality of information indicia furnishing information to the offensive player as to the type of play which is illustrated on the face of the play cards. Such, for example, the red play card 27, as shown in FIG. 7, indicates that this play card pertains to a passing play. The dotted line 28 appearing thereon indicates the path of the thrown football, and the single black line 29 indicates the path the receiver takes after completion of the pass, while the thicker line 30, which may be suitably colored, indicates that the pass has been intercepted by a defensive player and illustrates the return run thereof.

The indicia appearing on the red colored portion of the play card 28, illustrated in FIG. 7, supply the offensive player with the following additional information.

The numerals 5 and 8 indicate the defensive alignments which do not properly defend against this pass play. The numeral 401 indicates that this play is complete 40% of the time against the defensive alignments 5 and '8, shown in part on the side wall 13- of the cabinet 10. The word safe indicates that the play will not result in an interception or fumble. The word loss followed by a number, as in this instance, number 4, indicates that the defensive alignment number 4 will stop the play before the pass is thrown, resulting in a loss of yardage, behind the line of scrimmage S appearing on pentagon 20.

The play card 31 as illustrated in FIG. 8 has its one edge portion 32 colored in black to indicate that this play card is an offensive running play. General information is given on this card by the indicia on the colored edge portion 32 thereof, and as illustrated, the play card 31 informs the offensive player that this play will be successful when used against the defensive formation numbered 6 as is illustrated on the defensive pentagon 20, and as shown at 14 on the side wall 13 of the cabinet 10. The remaining portion of the information tells the offensive player that the play is run against the strong side of the defensive line and depending on the positions of the pent'agons 21 through 24, will result in a yardage gain of either 3-3-2, or no yardage gain against any other defensive formation.

A plurality of these play indicating cards are provided with the game so that they afford the offensive player a complete selection of plays and/ or combination of plays. As the play cards are transparent they are reversible so that they will be capable of being used either to the right or left side depending on their placement in the play card receiving area 17, as hereinafter explained.

The game commences with the selection of an offensive and defensive player. The defensive player places the shield 25 over the play card receiving area 17 and randomly spins and/or shuffles the plurality of pentagons 20 through 24. The shield 25 is removed from the cabinet and the single play card indicated 'as a kick-off is placed on top of the flat exposed play action field of the aligned defensive pentagons through 24 with the colored edge of the card positioned to the open side of the play card receiving area 17, as shown in FIG. 4.

As in regulation football, the defensive team has kicked off the football from their own forty yard line. All kick-offs travel fifty yards so that the receiving or offensive team obtains possession on their own ten yard line. As on all running plays, the kick-off play card illustrates a runback and until the colored run back line thereon is intercepted by a red defensive player indicia D on the faces of the pentagons 20 through 24, the play continues. The distance that the run back covers is computed from the offensive players ten yard line and constitutes the line of scrimmage for the next succession of offensive plays. If the run back is not intercepted by a red defensive player, the offensive team scores a touchdown.

On certain of the defensive pentagons there appears a letter P signifying a penalty committed during the succeeding play. If two or more of these letters are visible through the offensive play card, a penalty has occurred on the kick-off and nullifies the same and necessitates a new kick-off which occurs from the defensive te'ams thirty-five yard line, and the offensive teams return is computed from their own fifteen yard line.

Also on the defensive pentagons, there appears a number of solid blue colored indicia F which indicate a fumble by the offensive or receiving team. If during the run back of the kick-off, as illustrated by the solid black line drawn on the kick-off play card, such line is intercepted by a solid blue symbol on any of the defensive pent'agons, a fumble occurs and the kicking or defensive team always recovers this fumble.

After a successful kick-off, a suitable indicator, such as a football symbol 33, is placed on the schematic football field 12 on the top wall 11 of the cabinet 10 to indicate the line of scrimmage from which the offensive team is to commence their offensive play.

The shield 25 is once again placed over the play card receiving area 17 and the defensive team player selectively arranges each of the separate pentagons 20 through 24 into any desired defensive combinations. When the defensive team player indicates that he is ready for play, the offensive team player may select one of the plurality of the play cards, such as card 27 or 31, as is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

When the offensive team has made its selection the shield 25 is removed from the top wall 11 of the cabinet 10 and the transparent play card is placed in the play card receiving area 17 on the flat surfaces of the aligned defensive pentagons 20 through 24. Because the play card is transparent, it is readily ascertainable by each player the path of the play and its immediate success or failure. Thus a running play such 'as is indicated by the play card 31 illustrated in FIG. 8 continues until the line 34 thereof is intercepted by a red defensive player D or a solid blue defensive indicia F, the latter indicating a fumble by the offensive team at that point. When a pass play is chosen the play card 27, as illustrated in FIG. 7, displays the direction of the pass and the distance it travels in the air by the broken line 28, as well as the additional advance made by their receiver after catching the pass, such as by the solid black line 29. However, when a pass play is chosen, and a defensive interception indicia T appears on one of the defensive pentagons which, in the present instance, is a red dot within a blue circle, lies beneath or to the inside (between the passer and the receiver and beneath the dotted line 28 of the flight of the ball) of the receiver circle 35, as shown on the play card 27, such pass is intercepted by the defensive team, 'and its return is indicated by an appropriate color line 30. The return interception run continues until it crosses a red defensive player indicia D.

While FIGS. 7 and 8 each illustrate One passing and running offensive play, it should be understood that a plurality of such play cards containing different basic types of offensive plays are available to the offensive player. The general play and rules therefore authentically provide a realistic reproduction of a football game and therefore each specific type of offensive play or defensive alignment need not be hereinafter described.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this'is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A table top football game for competitive playing between a designated offensive player and a defensive player comprising (a) a plurality of transparent play cards each schematically illustrating a different type of offensive play,

(b) a set of defensive coordinate members each provided with a plurality of areas and each area having different defensive-position indicia thereon,

(0) means supporting each coordinate member for movement whereby each member may selectively display only a selected one of said areas at a time, said set of coordinate members being positioned in side by side relation, said set of coordinate members collectively providing a play card receiving area which when the areas of each coordinate member are in coplanar alignment supports a selected play card thereon with the defensive position indicia on each of said defensive coordinate members visible through said offensive play card to illustrate the results of the chosen offensive play and the selected defense thereto.

2. A table top football game as defined by claim 1 wherein the coplanar aligned play card receiving area of said defensive coordinate members provide a play action field of a size equal to the size of said play card so that the defensive-position indicia on said coordinate members are visible through said selected offensive play card to illustrate the results of the chosen play and the selected defenses thereto.

3. A football game of the type defined by claim 1 wherein said transparent play cards are reversible so that the illustrated offensive play thereon may be selectively positioned by the offensive player with respect to the defensive-position indicia shown in the prearranged defensive coordinate members.

4. A football game as defined by claim 1 including a removable shield of a size to cover the coplanar aligned play card receiving areas of said defensive coordinate members to restrict the view of the offensive player thereon While the defensive player movably arranges the defensive-position indicia 0n the defensive coordinate members into a selected defensive arrangement.

5. A table top football game having a cabinet providing a substantially fiat playing surface upon which is depicted a football field, said game including (a) a plurality of transparent game cards each schematically illustrating a different type of offensive p y,

(b) said playing surface of said cabinet adjacent one side edge thereof having a cut-out portion forming a play card receiving area of a size slightly larger than the length and Width of said game cards,

(0) a shaft journalled within said cabinet beneath said play card receiving area formed in said playing surface,

(d) a plurality of individual pentagons rotatably supported on said shaft Within said play card receiving area with each flat side of each of said pentagons adapted to lie in coplanar relation with respect to each other below the plane of said playing surface,

(e) said fiat sides of said pentagons when in coplanar relation with respect to each other and the plane of said playing surface cooperating with said play card receiving area to form an action playing field for supporting a selected play card thereon with the de- 6 fensive-position indicia on each of said pentagons visible through said selected offensive play card supported on said action play field to illustrate the results of the chosen offensive play and the selected defenses thereto.

6. A table top football game as defined by claim 5 wherein said transparent play cards are reversible so that the illustrated ofi'ensive play thereon may be selectively positioned by the offensive player with respect to-the defensive-position indicia shown in the prearranged defensive pentagons.

7. A table top football game as defined by claim 5 including a removable shield of a size to cover the coplanar aligned play card receiving areas of said defensive pentagons to restrict the view of the offensive player thereon while the defensive player movably arranges the defensive-position indicia on the defensive pentagons into a selected defensive arrangement.

OTHER REFERENCES Playthings, July 1948, Cadaco-Ellis Games, Foto Electrio Football.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

P. E. SHAPIRO, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A TABLE TOP FOOTBALL GAME FOR COMPETITIVE PLAYING BETWEEN A DESIGNATED OFFENSIVE PLAYER AND A DEFENSIVE PLAYER COMPRISING (A) A PLURALITY OF TRANSPARENT PLAY CARDS EACH SCHEMATICALLY ILLUSTRATING A DIFFERENT TYPE OF OFFENSIVE PLAY, (B) A SET OF DEFENSIVE COORDINATE MEMBERS EACH PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY OF AREAS AND EACH HAVING DIFFERENT DEFENSIVE-POSITION INDICIA THEREON, 